Top 10 Best DOTA Heroes for Pros

For every DOTA fanatic!

Defense of the Ancients which most gamers refer as DOTA completely changed the standards of local and online gaming. Millions of gamers worldwide got hook to DOTA and are still playing the game everyday years after its first release. Though other games having a similar gameplay to DOTA but with better graphics like Heroes of Newerth (HON) and League of Legends (LOL) are available today, majority still prefer the classic. They believe that no other game can surpass DOTA in providing hours of fun and excitement especially if played with friends. Are you an experienced DOTA player who is planning to join a competition with your team? Can’t you decide which hero to pick?

Such decision is not a personal matter. Your team must come up with strong hero combinations. Never settle on one set of heroes since most DOTA competitions are in Captain Mode where teams are given the chance to restrict five specific heroes. If your team is clueless regarding this matter, here is a list of heroes which can turn into unstoppable killing machines given they are controlled by highly knowledgeable and experienced players. Any of these Top 10 Best DOTA Heroes for Pros can lead your team towards victory especially if each of your members value unity and have the same skill or even better than you.

Lanaya the Templar Assassin is an agility-type hero who is very hard to counter. Her first skill (Refraction) grants immunity even against the most lethal attacks. With perfect timing, Lanaya can easily get over single-target skills which carry absurd damage such as Lion’s Finger of Death. Lanaya’s second skill (Meld) completes her defensive arsenal. The skill grants invisibility in an indefinite period of time but is cancelled if she ends up stunned by an AOE skill or if she moves. It requires perfect timing and excellent awareness about every hero in DOTA to effectively use such skill which is why this hero is often picked only by professional gamers. Though this hero lacks innate attack range, her third skill (Psi Blades) boosts it and adds bonus splash damage in a lane to each of his physical attacks. Lanaya is also a great chaser due to her ultimate skill (Psionic Trap)which can be planted in a considerable distance and detonated at once to drastically slow down enemy units in an area. Despite these great skills, Lanaya is very hard to control and has measly health points making it a bad hero for DOTA beginners. If you want to learn more about this tricky hero, here is a complete guide: DOTA HERO TIPS: TEMPLAR ASSASSIN

Many assume that Rikimaru the Stealth Assassin is a hero for kids but millions will surely disagree. Although he packs excellent physical damage and attack speed like what most agility-hero have, his mediocre health points is a very big problem. DOTA beginners who use this hero often end up bullied early on and massacred during the late game because they simply lack enough level and items. Nevertheless, Stealth Assassin can be unstoppable if provided with items which compliment to his needs and weaknesses. He is a pain for intelligence-type heroes and those who greatly rely on skills for attack and defense since his first skill (Smoke Screen) can silence enemy units in an area while providing him and his allies with bonus evasion rate. This hero is one of the best chasers in DOTA with his second (Blink Strike) and third skill (Backstab). Stealth Assassin’s third skill made him a popular hitter because it gives bonus damage in relation to his agility points. And finally, it’s impossible to catch and kill Stealth Assassin without a Gem of True Sight or any item or skill that can counter his ultimate skill (Permanent Invisibility). Are you confident about choosing Stealth Assassin and leading your team towards victory? If you’re not ready, simply browse through this complete guide to know more about this agile and dangerous hero: DOTA HERO TIPS: STEALTH ASSASSIN

Cairne Bloodhoof the Tauren Chieftain is probably the most underrated DOTA hero. He is less popular among pub players yet a commonly banned hero during competitions. And one of the best reasons why majority of professional DOTA players fear Tauren Chieftain as an enemy is because of his set of skills which can intensively damage a team in just a few seconds and even eliminate them all if executed perfectly. This hero’s first (Echo Stomp)and second skill (Ancestral Spirit) combination is a very reliable initiating act during team clashes. The enemy team will find it hard to counter since it has a good range and affects opposing units in a wide area. Tauren Chieftain’s third skill (Natural Order) is a negative buff which impairs the physical and magic defense of enemy heroes and creeps near him. And lastly, his ultimate skill (Earth Splitter) can instantly kill a heavily damaged hero and greatly slow the survivors. To use this hero accordingly, fast hands and perfect timing are must haves. Here is a guide which discuss other important details on how to use Tauren Chieftain like the pros: DOTA HERO TIPS: TAUREN CHIEFTAIN

Slardar the Slithereen Guard is one of the few strength-type heroes in DOTA who can act as a team carry. His third skill (Bash) allows him to fight in par with infamous hitters such as Phantom Assassin and Dark Terror. Slithereen Guards biggest advantage against agility carries is his high health points and ultimate skill (Amplify Damage) which can greatly weaken an enemy. If given the right items and correct positioning, Slithereen Guard can eliminate an entire team with ease. He can also serve as a chaser because of his first skill (Sprint)which grants him absurd movement speed bonus in expense of weakened defense. This is why using Slithereen Guard effectively requires good judgment skills and experience in playing DOTA making him among the best heroes for pros and one of the worst for beginners.

Magnus the Magnataur is one of my favorite DOTA heroes mainly because he is highly effective in almost every part of the game. Having a melee range is not a disadvantage to Magnataur at all since his first skill (Shock Wave)allows him to kill creeps and damage enemy heroes while maintaining a safe distance. During the mid part of the game where ambushes are common, he can help the team through his third skill (Skewer)in chasing fleeing enemies and support the team carry with his second skill (Empower) which grants bonus damage and cleaving attack. Finally, Magnataur can sweep an entire enemy team and kill them all without resistance through his ultimate skill (Reverse Polarity). The skill works by pulling every unit around Magnataur near him. With a cleaving attack provide by his second skill and boosting it by purchasing a Battle Fury, it’s easy for Magnataur to inflict heavy damage to a group of heroes and even lead them to death in a matter of seconds. Are you seeking for more tips on how to use this strong and seemingly imbalanced hero? Browse through this complete guide: DOTA HERO TIPS: MAGNATAUR

Mirana Nightshade the Priestess of the Moon often takes the middle lane for obvious reasons. Her first skill (Starfall) makes it easy for Mirana to earn abundant experience and gold in a small period of time. Mirana’s second skill (Elune’s Arrow) is very effective in ganking so she needs a boost in level which the middle lane can provide to roam around and support other lanes. Mirana is considered as one of the most agile heroes in DOTA because of her third skill (Leap). If casted, Mirana can instantly move towards a certain distance while her movement speed is improved afterwards in a short period of time. This skill together with her ultimate (Moonlight Shadow) makes it almost impossible for a lone hero to kill Mirana. Despite how great Mirana is, she can only be used properly by a DOTA player who has a good sense of timing and has practiced using her set of skills. Wrongly casting Leap can compromise Mirana’s safety and have her killed in a few seconds. She shares the weakness of most agility heroes which is lack of health points so using Mirana especially against enemy heroes with burst damages such as Lina Inverseand Invoker is never easy. Here is an article to help you familiarize using Mirana in the least possible time: DOTA HERO TIPS: PRIESTESS OF THE MOON

I often get uneasy against a good player who controls Tiny the Stone Giant particularly if have a hero with very low base health points. Only a few agility or intelligence type heroes can survive Stone Giant’s first (Avalanche) and second skill (Toss) combination. You’ll surely die if you get caught with his second skill since you’ll take damage from Stone Giant’s first skill twice if the combination is well executed. Stone Giant’s third skill (Craggy Exterior) makes heroes who rely on physical attack to think twice about targeting him because they’ll be stunned and receive a considerable amount of damage every now and then. Finally, this DOTA hero’s ultimate skill (Grow!) improves his base attack damage, movement speed, and second skill damage. Though it will negatively affect Stone Giant’s attack speed, prioritizing this skill is imperative to further make his skill combination lethal. Excellent timing is important to use Stone Giant’s first and second skill so he won’t be so effective if controlled by a beginner. If you are eager to be an expert Stone Giant user, reading this complete guide can be a good head start: DOTA HERO TIPS: STONE GIANT

Akasha the Queen of Pain is an agile and highly dangerous intelligence-type hero. With her strong spells, she can wipe out an entire enemy team or cause heavy damage enough for her team’s carry to kill them one by one with ease. Queen of pain is also a reliable chaser with her first skill (Shadow Strike)which slows down a target and brings DPS spell damage. Her second skill (Blink) allows Akasha to move in and out of battle in an instant. This skill can also be used to block thrown spells such as Rogue Knight’s Storm Bolt and Skeleton King’s Hellfire Blast. Nevertheless, such trick can only be done by experienced DOTA players and those who know the perfect timing. Last but definitely not the least are Queen of Pain’s AOE spells namely Scream of Pain and Sonic Wave which helps her kill a number of creeps in an instant to gain more experience and gold. Her ultimate skill’s effectiveness can also be upgraded by purchasing an Aghanim’s Scepter which can greatly boost her effectiveness in battle.

Puck the Faerie Dragon can turn invincible with the right item set and fast hands. With a Kelen’s Dagger and Force Staff in his inventory, killing Faerie Dragon is near impossible. Faerie Dragon’s defensive capability is even heightened by his third skill (Phase Shift) which teleports him to another dimension, avoiding any kind of damage in a few seconds. His first skill (Illusory Orb) can also serve as either escape or attack mechanism. Added with his second skill (Warning Shift) which silences and damages nearby enemies around him, Faerie Dragon is a great addition to any DOTA team hero combination. His last skill (Dream Coil)boasts both damage and disabling effect making Faerie Dragon a reliable hero during team clashes. What more can you ask for from a hero? But then again, don’t get too excited because you need to good map awareness, hand and eye coordination, and knowledge about every DOTA hero to effectively use Faerie Dragon. You must make reasonable decisions in a split second to avoid impending harm and eventually make the most out of any situation. I know it’s not easy even for DOTA players with years of experience so here is a complete guide that provides everything one needs to know about this hero: DOTA HERO TIPS: FAERIE DRAGON

Nevermore the Shadow Fiend can solely lead a team towards victory. His ultimate skill (Requiem of Souls) can set insane amount of damage even enough to eliminate an agility or intelligence type hero at once. Shadow Fiend usually takes the middle lane because of his first skill (Shadowraze). This skill is quite tricky to use but can be very powerful if mastered. It can unleash a great amount of damage enough to eliminate a wave of enemy creeps. Shadow Fiend’s second (Necromancy) and third skill (Presence of the Dark Lord) boosts his effectiveness as a team carry. It’s almost not possible to stop a professional Shadow Fiend user from pressuring lanes. With the right items like Black King Bar, Kelen’s Dagger, and Lothar’s Edge, this hero easily grabs the title of being the best hero for experienced and professional DOTA players.

Watch and know why Shadow Fiend has the top spot!

The above list is basically my personal opinion after playing DOTA for a couple of years. In the end, DOTA is a game played by teams so the outcome of a match is highly influenced whether which of the battling teams has better synchronization. To be a professional DOTA player requires time and dedication. Though it entails playing at least once a day, spending all your time for gaming is not advised. Always remember that DOTA is best played with friends and for the simple purpose of seeking a way to get rid of stress. If you can think of a much better Top 10 Best DOTA Heroes for Pros, leave a comment and entice me to change mine. May luck be with you in your future DOTA games!

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Comments 10 comments

Meld isn't only a defensive skill , its mostly an offensive skill......

Alma Cabase 4 years ago from Philippines Author

True! But it's only effective in offense if you have a blink dagger.

NC4Life078 3 years ago from United States of America

Nevermore is one of my best hero's, but, I don't understand the effectivness of blink on him as his ult has the casting delay. Furthermore he is a ranged hero, why take uneccessary damage unless your huskar. I would personally suggest getting shadow blade and ult when your team has them distracted. But, I enjoyed this article I would agree that the majority of these heroes are more geared towards advanced players (especially for QOP and Puck).

Xevian 3 years ago

Well You added some very good hero.But no INVOKER???That's too bad.A pro invoker can own any hero in this list.Even good sf fails against good invoker. He got a way too awesome spells which can make him carry,nuker,pusher and even support too.

dota)(fro 3 years ago

i agree nevermore is the best hero if your experience to play with him i surely he will be godlike in no time i played with my friend he said no lothars that's why i cannot play well but very nice video that's nice tips ....

Al!sOn 3 years ago

For me :

1. Troll Warlord

2. Phantom Assain

3. Faceless Void

4. Sven

5. Nevermore

6. Sniper

7. Mirana

8. Rikimaru

9. Puck

10. Lion

John 3 years ago

Nevermore is awesome if time correctly.

K!llerbee$ 3 years ago

A pro nevermore ???

SimilarSam 2 years ago from Australia

I'm trying to master Akasha the Queen of Pain at the moment but I'm not having much luck, quite difficult to play.